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I’ve been making this barbecue sauce with white beans – it’s one of the easiest recipes to pull together and put in the freezer.  Recently I tried the sauce on some cooked lentils I already had in the fridge and I liked it better!  Lentils are super cheap and easy to cook, so this was a win, win!

We like these with some type of potatoes: either baked in the oven or the microwave (super easy), roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes.

I have tried a lot of homemade sauces and this is one I’ve made more than almost anything else.  It’s quick and easy and flavorful.  I used maple syrup and add a few drops of liquid smoke.  Ideally you can mix it together in advance to let the flavors blend, but it’s not required.

I’ve never seen this in a recipe, but lately I’ve been soaking my lentils before I cook them.  I just put them in the pan and cover them with water an inch or so above the lentils and leave them on the counter until I’m ready to cook them.  Then I drain them, add new water and cook them on the stove with some salt and garlic.  They cook up faster that way and soaking helps to make the nutrients more available and reduces the tendency to cause gas.

I would use 2-3 cups cooked lentils to 1 recipe of barbecue sauce.

Adapted from this Tastes like Ice Cream Kale Smoothie on healthyblenderrecipes.com

Scant 1/4 C pitted dates
1 cup filtered water
1-2 cups baby kale (I like the bagged version)
1/2 cup raw unsalted cashews or pistachios, soaked
2 medium bananas
pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups frozen blueberries or mixed berries

optional boosters:
1 tsp minced ginger
1 TBSP chia, flax or hemp seeds

My kids were not too crazy about the original Tastes like ice cream version, but when I left out the ginger and used berries in place of the ice, it took on a whole new taste and went over pretty well.  That ginger sure is super healthy but we have to get used to it’s strong flavor.

If the bananas and berries are frozen you will have difficulty blending.  Berries can be thawed, water can be hot, or bananas can be fresh to make this quick and easy.

I like to warm up the water in a glass measuring cup and put the dates and nuts in while I prep the rest of the ingredients.  Then I pour the glass in with the water, dates and nuts and typically those few minutes soften them enough for the Blendtec.

I’ve been on a nachos kick lately . . .it is our go-to “we’re starving” after 1:00 church meal.  It takes some planning to make it this way, but it’s just 10-15 min here and 10-15 min there and a great way to get all kinds of healthy stuff into an easy meal.

The beans take some planning, but it’s a piece of cake to make a large batch and keep them in the freezer.  I whip up the cheese sauce the day before and the guacamole the morning of.  Then I just make the salsa in the blender and we have a  really tasty meal and leftovers.  But it’s also the kind of meal you can take a lot of short cuts on, as in a can of beans and jar of salsa and diced avocado.  So it works for what you need.

Adapted from: www.kitchentreaty.com  She blends hers up with the cooking liquid, but I like to cook the beans first then drain off most of the cooking liquid to keep the gas as minimal as possible.

1 pound dry pinto beans
3 cups vegetable broth + a little more for thinning, if desired
4-5 medium cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 whole onion cut into large chunks
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 fresh lime (optional)

Cover beans in water and soak overnight, discarding any odd beans

Rinse beans and cook in water for several hours with 1 tsp salt and half of the onion cut into large chunks until mostly soft  (this can be done both on the stove top or in a crock pot).

Rinse beans again and return to pot/crockpot.  Add remaining ingredients (including the other half of the onion) except salt.  If needed, add additional water to cover beans.

Simmer for several more hours until beans are very soft and beans are flavorful.

Blend in batches, or use an immersion blender or bean masher to reach desired consistency. Add salt to taste.